Floating plow



May 23, 193 w. w. SWEARINGER FLOATING PLOW Filed Aug. 5, 1957 W W Swen/rage! Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED 'srrss PATENT OFFIQ FLOATING PLOW Walter W. Swearinger, Newport, Ark. Application August 5, 1937, Serial No. 157,592 6 Claims. (01. 97-159) This invention relates to an improved attachment for wheeled cultivators whereby the plowshares are adjustably and yieldably supported.

' The object of this invention is to provide a plow carrying attachment to be attached to the axle of a wheeled cultivator which will be yieldably supported to offset the weight of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lever operably connected to coil springs forming the counterbalancing means, to adjust the position and tension of said springs to compensate for the weight of the plowshare's and to accommodatethe device to the condition of the soil.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following specification of which the drawing forms a part, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts in the different views, It designates the main beam of a cultivator and II the arched axle thereof which is secured in a bracket |2 secured to beam It. To the opposite ends of axle H are connected the ground wheels one of which is shown at I3.

Only one-half of the axle H has been shown,

and it is to be understood that the horizontal portion M of the corresponding half is intended to support another unit of the invention which will now be described.

Loosely mounted on portion M of axle II is a collar I5 provided with an ear Hi to which is connected the forked end ll of a beam |8 by a bolt i9. A crosshead 20 is provided with an ear 2| to which is connected the opposite forked end ll of beam i8 by a bolt i9.

A rod 22 is pivotally connected to an ear 23 on collar l5, and to the opposite end of rod 22 is pivotally connected an internally threaded socket 24 adapted to extend into an opening, not shown, in crosshead 20 to engage one end of a threaded bolt 25 which is mounted in the opposite side of head 29. The opposite end of bolt 25 is engaged by a plurality of locking nuts and washers 29. By adjusting socket 24 relatively to bolt 26 cross-head 20 can be angularly adjusted relatively to the collar i5.

Crosshead 20 is provided with vertical and horizontal openings, not shown, to receive the standards 32 and 33 respectively of the plo-wshares 34.

In order to compensate for the weight of crosshead 20 and the attached plows 34 and standards 32 and 33, and the condition of the soil, a bracket 41, as seen in Figure l, is secured adjacent the top of the vertical portion of axle l. Depending from bracket 41 and supported by the hooked bolts 48 and 49 are the coil springs 59 and 5|. .5 Secured to the inner end of collar I5 is a rack plate 52 provided with an arcuately shaped extension 53 to which is connected the spring 59.

A split collar 54 having depending arms is loosely mounted on the horizontal portion l4 of .10 axle adjacent rack plate 52. Pivotally connected to arms 55 are plates 56 which are attached by a pin 51 which may engage any pair of a plurality of alined spaced openings in arms 55. Pivotally connected by a bolt and nut 58 ad- 16 jacent the free ends of plates 56 is a lever 59 which is also pivotally connected at 69 to rack plate 52. Lever 59 extends beyond rack plate 52 and is provided with a conventional spring projected latch 6| to engage the teeth of rack plate 20 52 and operated by the usual handle 52.

Pivotally connected also to pin 51 is a U- shaped member 63 to the free end of which is attached spring 5|. With lever 59 in the position as shown in Figures 1 and 6, springs 59 and 5| 25 tend to pull against each other with spring 55 stretched to greater tension to counterbalance crosshead 20. In this position theleast resistance to the weight of crosshead 29 is afforded since spring 5| is reacting against spring 59. 30

As lever 59 is raised notch by notch relatively to rack 52, the plates 56 connecting lever 59 and arms 55 will cause collar 54 and arms 55 to swing downwardly. Member 63 pivotally connected toarms 55 and attached to spring 5| will, due to 35 the tension of spring 5| be swung toward the horizontal portion of axle I4. This will lessen the counterbalancing effect of spring 5| as it moves toward a vertical position and past the vertical portion of axle until it begins to cooperate in 40 lifting crosshead 20. This gradual adjustment may be made to compensate for the loss of strength in the springs, or to give plows 3d a more yielding engagement when plowing soil containing stones or roots which might damage the 45 shares 34. By moving lever 59 rearwardly, a deeper furrow can also be made.

It is to be understood that only the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, the right being reserved to make 50 such changes and modifications as will not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wheeled plow comprising a collar loosely 55 mounted on an axle, a crosshead supporting a plurality of plowshares, a beam connecting said collar and crosshead, counterbalanced springs normally resisting the weight of said crosshead, and a lever operably connected to one of said springs to adjust its position and the relative tension of the two springs.

2. A wheeled cultivator of the arched axle type provided with a collar loosely mounted on a horizontal end of said axle, a crosshead supporting a plurality of plowshares, a beam connecting said crosshead and collar, a rack plate secured to said collar, a lever pivotally connected to said rack plate, coil springs arranged to counterbalance the weight of said crosshead, one of said springs being operably connected to said lever whereby its tensioning effect is controlled by the adjustment of said lever.

'3. In combination with a wheeled cultivator, a crosshea-d adjustably supporting a plurality'of plowshares, a beam connecting said crosshead to the axle of said cultivator, means to adjust the angle of said cross-head relatively to said cultivator, spring means to yieldably support said crosshead and plowshares, and an adjustable counterbalance spring to'coact with said spring a means and movable relatively thereto to increase or decrease the tension thereon.

a. In combination with a wheeled cultivator of,

the arch axle type, a collar loosely mounted on said axle, a crosshead adjustably supporting a plurality of plowshares, a beam connecting said collar and crosshead, a spring yieldably supporting said crosshead, a lever, a spring operably connected to said lever and counterbalancing said first mentioned spring, and said lever being operable to adjust the position of said attached spring to move it into cooperating position with said first mentioned spring.

5. An adjustable gang plow support comprising a member having a plurality of plowshares attached thereto, a beam connected to said member, means pivotally mounting said beam on a wheeled cultivator, a contractile coil spring connected to said cultivator and said beam for yieldably supporting the plowshares, a contractile coil spring connected to said cultivator and to said pivoted means on the opposite side of its axis for counterbalancing said first mentioned spring, and means for adjusting said last mentioned spring relatively to the axis of said pivoted 'means for varying the tension on said first mentioned spring.

'6. In a device of the class described, a sleeve loosely mounted on a cultivator, a beam connected to said sleeve and adapted to support a plurality of plows at its free end, a contractile coil spring connected to said cultivator and to a portion of said sleeve for yieldably supporting said beam; a toothed plate secured to said sleeve, a lever pivotally connected to said plate and provided with a latch to engage said teeth to adjustably position the lever relatively to the plate, an arm pivotally mounted on said cultivator, a link connected to the free end of said arm and the free end of said-lever, an arcuately shaped bar pivotally connected at one of its ends to the free end of said arm, and having its free end extending toward the axis of said sleeve and arm, and a second spring connected to said cultivator and to the free end of said bar for normally counterbalancing said first mentioned spring, said lever being adjustable for adjusting said arm and bar to move said last mentioned spring relatively to the first mentioned spring to vary the tension thereon.

WALTER W. SWEARINGER. 

